You can always tell when a politician has been coached; they use the same words and phrases over and over again. Spin doctors/media-minders develop a mantra, and their clients are expected to learn and parrot it, by rote. It takes a skilful journalist/interviewer to peel away the carefully-crafted coaching and get to the truth.

This indicates that Parata, English, and Foss had been pre-warned of Joyce’s press conference and admission of the three Minister’s actions.

So is this some sort of carefully managed internecine warfare?

Or a very subtle, clever strategy to neutralise possible Opposition disclosures in Parliament?

Joyce’s statements that there will be on-going problems with Novopay could be seen as an attempt to minimise future media reports on Novopay errors.After all, if National admits that there will be ongoing problems – does that make it news when it happens?

Whichever is the case, this is Steven Joyce at his most cunning, and the Opposition will need to be on their toes. As will the media, if they are not to be out-manouvered by National’s “Mr Fix It”.

Yes, I heard Joyce on TV and said, “I don’t believe it!”. Did a playback and sure enough he threw them in right in it. LOL and a few colour coded remarks flew around.
Big disappointment….hadn’t realised this was Labours baby. What were they thinking ? The previous system was excellent. Cost?

Technically, it was Labour’s baby in the sense that the then-Minister of Education (I think Mallard had moved on from that portfolio at that point and I can’t remember who it was) signed the contract, but this was around June or July in 2008. The development of the system and the roll-out of it is entirely on English, Tolley, Parata and Foss.